that foreign music blog🌎

In Japan, the year starts in April and BOY music has been going nuts! I went to Tower Records just a few days ago, only to find that two other artists of interest will be releasing their albums later on this month! So much for saving money.

One band I’ve been following VERY closely is “2”, which is probably my favorite Japanese band. In fact, just today, I read that they’ll be regulars on a radio feature called “Listen 2 the radio” on TOKYO FM Radio Dragon every Thursday until the end of April! If you have access to a Japanese radio app like Radiko, you should check it out!
But more important than their airtime is their album, “GO 2 THE NEW WORLD” which was released April 5th! It includes their title track, “Go 2 the new world“, as well as some songs reminiscent of the 60s and 70s featured in their album teaser.

Vocalist, Yutaro, has always seemed to favor more nostalgic sounds, as even in his former punk band, The SALOVERS, they experimented with softer melodies that fans said were similar to that of The Beatles. And perhaps a bit out of place for their fun, energetic image. One example of this is “Send Love“. Honestly, it didn’t feel like fans were receptive to the song, but it’s one of my favorites, particularly for the accessible lyrics.

Speaking of The SALOVERS, since 2 was formed last year—and with their growing recognition—one thing I’ve noticed is the constant mention of ‘The SALOVERS’. Usually, the band is introduced as “The new band by Yutaro Furutachi, formerly from The SALOVERS”. What I find hilarious and cruel about this is that, first of all, The SALOVERS was nowhere near famous. They did have something of a name for themselves, as I found one other person who knew of them, BUT THE REALITY IS THAT THEY WEREN’T THAT BIG. One of their most popular Youtube videos is probably “ディタラトゥエンティ” and that only has 400,000 views!

Consequently, it just seems kind of weird to stick “The SALOVERS” to everything related to “2” when I feel no one really knew who they were anyway. Granted, they were one of my favorite bands and I wish they hadn’t broken up, but The Salovers is a thing of the past. I hope “2” can be defined on their own terms as they evolve.

So, with their new album came my motivation to go concert-ticket shopping again! I decided to go on a mission to try to get the band to sign their newest CD for me, so I’ll be going to Shibuya to see them at a rock festival! I probably won’t be as lucky this time around, but I’m looking forward to seeing them again!

 

The other band I was fussing over is MRS. GREEN APPLE, who’ve been straying farther and farther from the simple drum-and-string instrumentals. I can’t even really call them a rock band anymore, but I don’t mind it so much. They never had a traditional rock sound, and perhaps it’s fair to say that they’re a new genre of rock.

In any case, MRS. GREEN APPLE has evolved gracefully, as each album they’ve released showcases their diversity in sound.  I think “Ensemble” will be their most diverse album yet, as it features a dubstep song and then something jazzy! Even more impressive is that, despite their change in image, both new and old fans will be able to identify with the songs on this album. For example, “アウフヘーベン” is reminiscent of their earlier albums. One commenter said that it reminded them of their hit song “Public“. On the other hand, newer fans can recognize “Wanted!” and enjoy the more electronic appeal of the band.

MRS. GREEN APPLE consists of musicians who love to play, and boy do they PLAY on this album. I think that’s what fans enjoy most about them; at the very least, I do. “ENSEMBLE” will be released on April 18th, so keep an ear open for this next hit album! You can listen to their teaser in the meantime.

The last band I’ve kept my eye on is TETO, which is slowly becoming one of my top favorites.

They released the mini album, 「忘れた」 on March 21st and I’ve been playing it on repeat for the past month. In fact, I was so keen to support this album that, despite the fact that it’s available on Spotify, I went to Tower Records and bought it. And yes, this little four-song album is truly a gem. One thing I’ve come to really appreciate about TETO is their clear British punk influence. I wouldn’t be surprised if they said they were fans of bands like Arctic Monkeys and The Clash.

On the album, my favorite song is probably 「光る町」, which translates to “Town of Lights” or….maybe “Illuminated Town”. It’s an upbeat acoustic that seems to be about escaping to this town of lights. Its gentle rhythm makes it an easy sing-a-long, especially on those reflective walks along the river. 😉 You can listen to the album teaser here.

I’m hoping to see TETO in Osaka during their One-Man tour in July. Initially, I was hesitant to go to great lengths to see them exclusively, but now I’m determined to get their autographs! I’m excited about their next full-length album!